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LaValle Bill: Split Child Support Payment Fee Equitably

The New York State Senate passed legislation (S.783) by Senator Kenneth P. LaValle (R-C-I, Port Jefferson) that will split fees on child support payments between the custodial and non-custodial parent. The entire fee is now borne by the custodial parent.

“In 2005,” Senator LaValle explained, “the federal government enacted the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and a $25 fee was imposed on child support payments.”

“The fee is collected after the custodial parent has received $500 in support payments for the year, the federal government keeps two-thirds of the fee and the state and local governments keep the rest. States were given a choice as to how to collect the fee. New York chose to collect the fee from the parent who receives the support payments.”

“Many single parents across the state rely on child support payments as a means to live,” Senator LaValle said, “and in these difficult economic times, families are being forced to make hard financial decisions. It is the goal of this legislation to divide the collection of the fee between the custodial and noncustodial parent.”